188 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTTJKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ September 8, 1670. 



very freely. The sepals and petals are of a rich rosy purple, 

 passing into dark purple in some varieties, and with a bright 

 rose lip. The flowers are usually produced in autumn. It 

 should be grown upon a block. Native of Mexico. 



L. supeebtens. — A superb species, and one that may be re- 

 garded as the giant amongst Lrelias. The pseudo-bulbs are 

 long, and support a pair of oblong-acute dark green leaves, 

 from between which the flower spike is produced, and which 

 extends upwards of 5 feet in length, and bears towards the top 

 from twelve to twenty of its fine flowers, each of which is 

 usually between 3 and i inches in diameter. The sepals and 

 petals are bright rose suffused with red and reddish crimson ; 

 the lip is crimson streaked with yellow. It lasts in beauty 

 during the greater portion of the winter months. It should 

 be grown in a pot in the cool house. Native of Guate- 

 mala, &c. 



L. Peebenii. — This should be grown in a pot, and be placed 

 in a temperature a few degrees higher than any of those pre- 

 viously named. The pseudo-bulbs are slender, supporting a 

 large, oblong, very dark green leaf. The flowers are produced 

 from a spathe at the base of the leaves. The Bepals and 

 petals are somewhat narrow, in some varieties light, in others 

 dark purple ; the lip is contracted and rich crimson in front. 

 It is a very handsome Bpecies, producing its flowers in autumn. 

 Native of Brazil. — Expeeto Ceede. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



It is now favourable weather for performing all necessary 

 operations in this department. If the grass in any of the 

 Asparagus beds is withering, and ground is scarce, cut it over 

 if quite yellow, and plant a row or two of Endive and Lettuce 

 for late work. Young Callages just through the ground should 

 have a little soil thrown among their stems if intended to re- 

 main where sown. Plant the principal crop of spring Cab- 

 bages in well-manured ground. The East Ham is found to be 

 a good variety for standing over the winter; it is not so prone to 

 run to seed in spring as most sorts. Prick out into beds a few 

 inches apart a large quantity of Cabbage plants which have 

 just expanded their two first rough leaves ; they will be re- 

 quired in spring. All Herbs, if not gathered, should be cut 

 immediately. Quick drying ia proved to be the best mode, for 

 the same reason that quick bay-making exceeds a lingering 

 process. Sweet Basil should be bunched and hung up in a hot 

 kitchen, also Sweet Marjoram. When thoroughly dry let them 

 be immediately packed closely in boxes, so as to exclude all air ; 

 indeed, bottled herbs sealed up after this treatment are very 

 superior. 



FEUIT GAEDEN. 



The summer fruit season being now nearly ended, attention 

 must be paid to the gathering at a proper period, and storing 

 away in a proper manner, the keeping winter stock. It is a 

 somewhat nice point to know when to gather the respective 

 fruits, some being best at one stage of the ripening process, 

 and some at another. As a general rule, fruits of a precocious 

 character, and which ripen rather hastily, and those also 

 possessing some aroma, should be gathered somewhat under- 

 ripe ; while those which ripen with difficulty, which are long 

 in gaining colour, and those which are scentless, should re- 

 main much longer on the trees. Certainly the way to obtain 

 the greatest amount of flavour is to suffer fruit to become ripe 

 on the tree, but I think that longer keeping is secured by 

 gathering rather earlier. The colouring of the pip or seed is, 

 perhaps, the most sure criterion ; if it is one-half coloured it 

 will seldom be wrong to gather the fruit. It need scarcely be 

 observed that much care must be exercised in handling fruit 

 for long keeping, especially the Flemish Pears. Some have 

 advised them to be handled like eggs ; the latter, however, will 

 bear a much rougher handling than some Pears, many of 

 which possess a fine skin, and are very susceptible of bruises. 

 The Pears should only bo placed one layer in thickness, if 

 possible, and for material nothing is found better than cap 

 paper, where the shelves are solid, placing the cap paper 

 double. Pears require less ventilation than Apples ; the latter 

 are apt to give out a large amount of moisture when first 

 placed in the room, especially if full of juice through rain. 

 The Pears for long keeping may in such eases have something 

 laid over them, in order to prevent excessive perspiration. 



FLOWER GAEDEN. 



If previous directions have been attended to, the propaga- 



tion of next year's bedding stock will by this time be well 

 advanced, and where, from the pressure of work or other causes, 

 this is not the case, every possible dispatch must be used 

 while the weather is favourable. When cuttings of Verbenas 

 and similar plants have yet to be put in, they should be in- 

 serted rather thinly in deep pans or shallow pots, in which 

 they can be wintered, as they will be sooner established in 

 this way than would be the case if they were potted-off 

 before winter; and late cuttings managed in this way fre- 

 quently winter quite as well as stronger plants, and unless 

 plants are intended to furnish cuttings in spring, it is very 

 immaterial how small bedding plants are before winter, pro- 

 vided they are well rooted, without having been raised in a 

 close, warm atmosphere, to render them sappy and tender. 

 Many through anxiety to secure large plants beep bedding- 

 out stock close and moist until late in autumn, and fre- 

 quently in frames on dung beds, where size is soon obtained, 

 but plants treated in this way are necessarily so soft and tender 

 that it is almost impossible to carry them over the winter with- 

 out serious loss. Therefore, avoid keeping such plants too 

 warm after this season, and if they are planted in bottom heat 

 give air at night, and whenever it can be done, without the 

 cuttings flagging, so as to prevent weakly growth. See to 

 staking late Asters, Phloxes, &c, of tall growth, otherwise the 

 autumn storms will destroy them prematurely. Choice Holly- 

 hocks for seed should have the decaying corollas plucked out; 

 this greatly helps the formation of seed. Mske observations on 

 the colour and general character of the flower garden before the 

 season closes, in order to improve it next year. After studying 

 the individual effect of flowers, let collective effect receive a 

 consideration, as well as proportion, outline, and the combi- 

 nation of colours. Auriculas, if not already potted for the 

 winter, should be potted without delay. Eemove suckers or 

 offsets, and place these round the tides of the pots, which 

 should be 6 inches in diameter. Auriculas are impatient of 

 rich compost during winter; turfy loam, river sand, and very 

 rotten horse dung, will make a suitable compost, using only a 

 small portion of the two latter. It is far better to give them a 

 strong top-dressing in the spring, than to use soil of too strong 

 and forcing a nature for their winter food. In consequence of 

 the general weakness of Tulip bulbs, it will be advisable to put 

 a small portion of decayed manure and leaf soil about 2 or 

 3 ineheB beneath the offsets. It is argued, and with some show 

 of reason, that manure fouls the cups, but as there are ex- 

 ceptions to every rule, I would recommend a richer soil, at all 

 events for the offsets, in the coming season. The Carnation 

 and Picotee layers may be taken eff and potted without delay, 

 using the compost as directed last week. Many seedlings have 

 missed blooming, and if not convenient to let them stand over 

 the winter in their present situation in consequence of the large 

 spaces in the beds from which the 6ingle ones have been re- 

 moved, it will be advisable to prepare another bed of suitable 

 compost, and carefully remove the seedlings with balls of soil, 

 and plant them in regular rows. Here they may stand the 

 winter, and will bloom profusely next season. 



COED PITS. 



The sooner the potting of bulbs for forcing is accomplished 

 the better, more especially imported bulbs. The chief aim 

 should be to have the roots well established before growth com- 

 mences, otherwise it is impossible to produce an early and a 

 strong bloom. Most of the failures we meet with are charge- 

 able to the omission of this most important point, and the 

 fault has not unfrequently been charged, most unjustly, on the 

 roots. A soil composed principally of a mellow loam with the 

 addition of old cow manure and leaf soil, and a sprinkling of 

 sharp sand and fine charcoal dust, will be found excellent 

 material. Secure good drainage, and put the bulb high, three 

 parts above the level of the rim, taking care that the soil is in 

 a mellow state, neither wet nor dry. Shake the pot slightly in 

 order to prevent the bulb settling too low, but do not by any 

 means press the soil. They succeed by far the best in a cold 

 frame, and it is most desirable that they should receive no 

 moisture beyond that which the soil contains, until the pot is 

 somewhat filled with roots. Those who have not a frame may 

 plunge the pots in cinder ashes in some sheltered spot, taking 

 care to raise them above the ground level for fear of water 

 lodging. Be careful that there is a free passage for the rain, 

 and let them be covered with C inches of some mellow ma- 

 terial, such as old tan, old leaf soil, sawdust (if not too new), 

 or ashes. This depth is necessary to keep out sharp frost. 

 Bulbs put in water-glasses should be kept in a somewhat dark 



